Hay saver insert

ABSTRACT

A hay saver insert is adapted to be removably positioned on and within a conventional cylindrical hay feeder. The insert includes an upper end portion which rests upon the upper end of the conventional feeder and a conical-shaped portion which extends downwardly into the interior of the feeder. Hay is placed within the insert and the animals have access thereto. Hay being pulled from the insert by the animals may fall into the area between the conical-shaped portion of the insert and the interior of the feeder which prevents the hay from being trampled.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a hay saver insert and more particularly to ahay saver insert which is inserted into a conventional round orcylindrical bale feeder.

2. Description of the Related Art

Conventional round or cylindrical feeders have been used for many yearsto feed large round roll-type bales to livestock. Most conventionalround bale feeders include a circular metal frame having a plurality ofhorizontally spaced-apart bars or pipes positioned thereon which enablethe animals to insert their heads therethrough to gain access to the haybut which are spaced closely enough to prevent the animal from enteringthe interior of the feeder. A large amount of hay is pulled outwardlythrough the bars by the animals with the excess hay falling onto theground and being trampled by the livestock thereby resulting inconsiderable waste of the hay.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A hay saving insert is provided for a conventional livestock feedercomprising a cylindrical frame including a number of spaced-apart barswhich prevent the animal from entering the frame while allowing theanimal to place its head through the bars. A cylindrical frame includesa ring-shaped upper end and a ring-shaped lower end. The insert of thisinvention has upper and lower ends and is selectively removablypositioned within the cylindrical frame. The insert includes aring-shaped upper end portion at its upper end which is removablysupported upon the ring-shaped upper end of the cylindrical frame. Theinsert includes a generally conical-shaped portion which extendsdownwardly from the ring-shaped upper end portion of the insert, intothe interior of the cylindrical frame. The conical-shaped portion of theinsert includes a plurality of spaced-apart bars which allow the animalto place its head therebetween to grasp the feed material therein foreating. The lower end of the insert is spaced inwardly of the lower endof the cylindrical frame to define an area therebetween into whichexcess feed may fall. A shield extends around the upper end of thering-shaped upper end portion of the insert to prevent animals fromaccessing the feed from above and/or through the outer portion of theinsert.

It is a principal object of the invention to provide a hay saver insertwhich is removably positioned on a conventional feeder and which extendsdownwardly and inwardly thereinto.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an insert for aconventional bale feeder which prevents hay waste.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an insert for aconventional round hay feeder which prevents spoilage of the hay thereinby keeping the hay off the ground.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a hay saving insertfor a conventional round hay feeder which is positioned on and withinthe feeder without any modification of the feeder.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a hay saver insertof the type described above which is durable in use.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional round prior art hayfeeder;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the hay saver insert of this inventionpositioned on and within the prior art feeder of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partially exploded perspective view of the hay saver insertof this invention;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the relationship ofthe insert and the prior art feeder; and

FIG. 5 is a side view of the hay saver insert mounted on the prior arthay feeder with portions thereof cut away to more fully illustrate theinvention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In the drawings, the numeral 10 refers to a conventional livestockfeeder which is used to feed cylindrical hay bales placed therein tolivestock. The bale feeders of the prior art are generally cylindricalor round and include a lower ring-shaped frame member 12, anintermediate ring-shaped frame member 14, and an upper ring-shaped framemember 16. In some feeders, the intermediate ring-shaped frame member 14is omitted. In many prior art feeders, a plurality of horizontallyspaced-apart bars or pipes are welded to and extend between the framemembers 12 and 14. The bars are normally covered or enclosed by a shield20 which is secured to frame members 12 and 14 and which extendstherebetween to prevent hay from passing outwardly through the bars.

A plurality of spaced-apart bars or pipes 22 are welded to and extendbetween the frame members 14 and 16 in conventional fashion. Normally,the bars 22 are angularly disposed. The pipes 22 are sufficientlyspaced-apart to permit the animal to insert its head between the bars 22while preventing the animal from entering the interior of the feeder.

Normally, cylindrical hay bales are placed in the interior of the feeder10. The animal extends its head and neck between the bars 22 to feed. Inthe feeding process, much hay falls or is pulled outwardly through thebars 22 and falls upon the ground wherein it is trampled, resulting inhay waste. Additionally, the hay in the feeder 10 rests upon the groundwhich may lead to spoilage of the hay which is in contact with theground within the feeder 10.

In an effort to solve the problems of the conventional feeders 10, suchas commonly used in the prior art, applicant has designed a hay savinginsert 24 which is selectively removably positioned on and within afeeder such as feeder 10. Insert 24 includes a ring-shaped frame member26 at its upper end which has a diameter slightly greater than thediameter of the feeder 10. Insert 24 also includes a ring-shaped framemember 28 positioned below frame member 26, as seen in the drawings. Aplurality of horizontally spaced-apart bars or pipes 30 are secured toand extend between frame members 26 and 28. Frame member 28 normallywill have a diameter which is the same as frame member 26. Shield 32 ispreferably secured to the frame members 26 and 28 and extendstherearound to enclose the upper end portion of the insert 24 to preventanimals from inserting their heads into the insert between the bars 30.

Insert 24 includes a generally conical-shaped portion 34 which issecured to and which extends downwardly and inwardly from frame member28. Conical-shaped portion 34 includes a ring-shaped frame member 36 anda ring-shaped frame member 38 positioned above frame member 36. Aplurality of spaced-apart bars 40 are secured at their lower ends toframe member 36 and extend upwardly and outwardly therefrom. Bars 40 arealso secured to frame member 38 by welding or the like. The upper endsof each of the bars 40 have a horizontally extending portion 42 which issecured to frame member 28 by welding or the like, as seen in thedrawings. The spacing of the bars 40 will depend upon the particularfeeder's requirements. The insert 24 could be comprised of a two-pieceor three-piece construction if so desired.

The insert 24 is designed to be used with almost any type ofconventional feeder which is cylindrical or round in configuration. Theinsert 24 is placed within the feeder 10 with the horizontally extendingportions 42 of bars 40 resting upon the upper frame member 16 of feeder10. When the insert 24 is positioned on the feeder 10, the frame member36 is preferably positioned above the ground to prevent feed within theinsert from coming into contact with the ground, thereby preventingspoilage of the same. The diameter of frame member 36 is less than thenormal diameter of a cylindrical hay bale so that the hay is supportedabove the ground. When the insert 24 is positioned on the feeder 10, thehay is placed within the insert and the animals have access thereto byextending their heads and necks between the bars 22 of the feeder 10 andbetween the bars 40 of the insert 24. As the animals pull hay from theinsert 24, excess hay falls onto the ground within the area between thefeeder 10 and the insert 24 which prevents the hay so falling from beingtrampled into the ground. The animals can eat the hay which has falleninto the area between the feeder 10 and insert 24.

Thus it can be seen that a novel hay saving insert has been provided forconventional feeders with the insert being selectively removably mountedthereon without any modification of the feeder being necessary. It cantherefore be seen that the insert of this invention enables aconventional feeder to be converted into a feeder which prevents haywaste.

Thus it can be seen that the invention accomplishes at least all of itsstated objectives.

I claim:
 1. In combination: a livestock feeder comprising a cylindricalframe including a number of bars which prevent the animal from enteringthe frame while allowing the animal to place its head through the bars;said cylindrical frame including a ring-shaped upper end and aring-shaped lower end; said bars extending downwardly from saidring-shaped upper end; and a feed material receiving insert, havingupper and lower ends, selectively removably positioned within saidcylindrical frame; said removable insert including a ring-shaped upperend portion at its said upper end which is removably supported upon saidring-shaped upper end of said cylindrical frame; said removable insertalso including a generally conical-shaped portion which extendsdownwardly from said ring-shaped upper end portion of said insert, intothe interior of said cylindrical frame; said generally conical-shapedportion including a plurality of spaced-apart bars which allow theanimal to place its head therebetween to grasp the feed material thereinfor eating; said lower end of said insert being spaced inwardly of saidlower end of said cylindrical frame to define an area therebetween. 2.The combination of claim 1 wherein said conical-shaped portion istruncated at its said lower end.
 3. The combination of claim 1 whereinsaid upper end portion of said insert includes a plurality of upwardlyextending and horizontally spaced-apart bars.
 4. The combination ofclaim 3 wherein a ring-shaped frame member is secured to the upper endsof said upwardly extending and horizontally spaced-apart bars of saidinsert.
 5. The combination of claim 4 wherein a ring-shaped frame memberis secured to the lower ends of said upwardly extending and horizontallyspaced-apart bars.
 6. The combination of claim 5 wherein saidring-shaped frame member secured to the lower ends of said upwardlyextending and horizontally spaced-apart bars rests upon the upper end ofsaid cylindrical frame.
 7. The combination of claim 6 wherein saidgenerally conical-shaped portion of said insert extends inwardly anddownwardly from said ring-shaped frame member which is secured to thelower ends of said upwardly extending and horizontally spaced-apartbars.
 8. The combination of claim 1 wherein said conical-shaped portionof said insert has a lower end which is positioned above the lower endof said cylindrical frame of said livestock feeder.
 9. The combinationof claim 3 wherein a shield extends around said upwardly extending andhorizontally spaced-apart bars of said insert.